Inside Israel's ‘scientific crown jewels' bombed by Iran
Prof Eldad Tzahor can just about make out the remains of his office, high on the top floor of the life sciences and cancer research building.
Or at least, half of it. The other half is lying in a heap of rubble and twisted metal at our feet.
We are standing in the grounds of the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, one of the pre-eminent research centres in the world and commonly referred to as Israel's scientific 'crown jewels'.
The sprawling campus set among manicured lawns and colourful flower beds suffered two direct hits from Iranian ballistic missiles, in the early hours on Sunday.
In the blink of an eye, years of cutting-edge research into human ageing, cancer prevention and regenerative medicine went up in smoke. Thousands of vital tissue and DNA samples were lost.
At least one affected academic has since said they were on the cusp of a major breakthrough.
Prof Tzahor, who was working on heart regeneration treatments, points to a sample freezer with a door hanging off, which is standing somewhat upright in the rubble.
It stands near two enormous nitrogen tanks, which started a major fire when punctured in the blast. They now lie mangled on their sides.
Mutilated extractor fans flop uselessly out of the side of the building, where they were ripped apart by the structure's collapse.
'Some of the studies we were doing take years and years of samples to build up,' he said. 'You can't restart them just like that.
'I suppose, just as we are trying to do with human tissue, we will have to regrow and regenerate.'
For Prof Roee Ozeri, a quantum physicist who has given nearly 30 years of his life to the institute, the Iranian strikes were 'ironic'.
'We're fighting cancer and heart disease here, which helps all humanity – and they go and do this.'
He points out that even Yahya Sinwar, the former Hamas leader and architect of October 7, benefitted from Israeli medicine when he had brain cancer while in prison.
But although the cost to science is undeniable, the narrative of mindless, or indeed accidental, Iranian destruction is potentially misleading.
Military sources believe the hit was a deliberate retaliation against Israel's campaign of assassination against Iranian nuclear scientists.
This is because of the Weizmann Institute's connections with the defence industry, as well as its alleged historical links to Israel's own shadowy nuclear weapons programme.
Israel has never formally admitted that it possesses nuclear weapons – some estimates put its stockpile of warheads into the hundreds – although the programme is often referred to as the worst-kept secret in the Jewish state.
Prof Ozeri, who is also the institute's vice-president for communication, smiles wryly as he denies any institutional involvement in nuclear weapons.
It is as if he gets the question a lot.
'We are a basic research institute,' he said. 'We do fundamental science for the future of humanity. There is no equivalence [with Israel's actions against Iranian scientists].'
As Israel knows better than most, facts on the ground are often swiftly obscured in the war of misinformation.
Sunday's strikes swiftly gave rise to online discussions across the Middle East as to their military legitimacy.
Ernst Bergmann, the father of Israel's nuclear programme, was the former head of the Weizmann Institute, whose scientists learnt how to extract uranium from the phosphate of the Negev desert during the 1950s.
But that is a far cry from current involvement in any Israeli nuclear weapons programme.
Even if links did exist, Israelis dismiss any argument of moral equivalence between the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists and Sunday's missile strike on the basis that Israel, unlike Iran, has never declared its intention to wipe a sovereign state off the map.
Nevertheless, this is not the first time that Iran has been accused of targeting Weizmann scientists.
Last year, Israeli authorities said they disrupted an Iranian spy ring in East Jerusalem that was plotting to assassinate a nuclear scientist who worked and lived at the institute.
Much more straightforward is the Weizmann's links with various defence manufacturers, such as Elbit Systems, to collaborate on bio-materials and other tech, which are openly stated on both organisations' websites.
But Weizmann, named after Israel's first president, is not the only university to have such links, nor to operate under a veil of visible security.
Although some students live on campus, no one was injured in the missile attack, thanks to the time of night and strict adherence to the shelter protocol.
But dozens of Israeli civilians have been killed in the attacks – even those sheltering in approved bunkers.
It has left Israelis in no doubt about the missiles' destructive force. At Weizmann alone, some 45 labs were wrecked, at a potential cost of $100 million (£74 million) to replace.
Within hours of the strike, a young researcher, wearing a helmet, was filmed playing the piano amid the ruins.
It was a symbol of hope in a time of war. But no one is pretending that the loss to science here is anything short of tragic.
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Telegraph
3 hours ago
- Telegraph
Inside Israel's ‘scientific crown jewels' bombed by Iran
Prof Eldad Tzahor can just about make out the remains of his office, high on the top floor of the life sciences and cancer research building. Or at least, half of it. The other half is lying in a heap of rubble and twisted metal at our feet. We are standing in the grounds of the Weizmann Institute in Rehovot, south of Tel Aviv, one of the pre-eminent research centres in the world and commonly referred to as Israel's scientific 'crown jewels'. The sprawling campus set among manicured lawns and colourful flower beds suffered two direct hits from Iranian ballistic missiles, in the early hours on Sunday. In the blink of an eye, years of cutting-edge research into human ageing, cancer prevention and regenerative medicine went up in smoke. Thousands of vital tissue and DNA samples were lost. At least one affected academic has since said they were on the cusp of a major breakthrough. Prof Tzahor, who was working on heart regeneration treatments, points to a sample freezer with a door hanging off, which is standing somewhat upright in the rubble. It stands near two enormous nitrogen tanks, which started a major fire when punctured in the blast. They now lie mangled on their sides. Mutilated extractor fans flop uselessly out of the side of the building, where they were ripped apart by the structure's collapse. 'Some of the studies we were doing take years and years of samples to build up,' he said. 'You can't restart them just like that. 'I suppose, just as we are trying to do with human tissue, we will have to regrow and regenerate.' For Prof Roee Ozeri, a quantum physicist who has given nearly 30 years of his life to the institute, the Iranian strikes were 'ironic'. 'We're fighting cancer and heart disease here, which helps all humanity – and they go and do this.' He points out that even Yahya Sinwar, the former Hamas leader and architect of October 7, benefitted from Israeli medicine when he had brain cancer while in prison. But although the cost to science is undeniable, the narrative of mindless, or indeed accidental, Iranian destruction is potentially misleading. Military sources believe the hit was a deliberate retaliation against Israel's campaign of assassination against Iranian nuclear scientists. This is because of the Weizmann Institute's connections with the defence industry, as well as its alleged historical links to Israel's own shadowy nuclear weapons programme. Israel has never formally admitted that it possesses nuclear weapons – some estimates put its stockpile of warheads into the hundreds – although the programme is often referred to as the worst-kept secret in the Jewish state. Prof Ozeri, who is also the institute's vice-president for communication, smiles wryly as he denies any institutional involvement in nuclear weapons. It is as if he gets the question a lot. 'We are a basic research institute,' he said. 'We do fundamental science for the future of humanity. There is no equivalence [with Israel's actions against Iranian scientists].' As Israel knows better than most, facts on the ground are often swiftly obscured in the war of misinformation. Sunday's strikes swiftly gave rise to online discussions across the Middle East as to their military legitimacy. Ernst Bergmann, the father of Israel's nuclear programme, was the former head of the Weizmann Institute, whose scientists learnt how to extract uranium from the phosphate of the Negev desert during the 1950s. But that is a far cry from current involvement in any Israeli nuclear weapons programme. Even if links did exist, Israelis dismiss any argument of moral equivalence between the assassination of Iranian nuclear scientists and Sunday's missile strike on the basis that Israel, unlike Iran, has never declared its intention to wipe a sovereign state off the map. Nevertheless, this is not the first time that Iran has been accused of targeting Weizmann scientists. Last year, Israeli authorities said they disrupted an Iranian spy ring in East Jerusalem that was plotting to assassinate a nuclear scientist who worked and lived at the institute. Much more straightforward is the Weizmann's links with various defence manufacturers, such as Elbit Systems, to collaborate on bio-materials and other tech, which are openly stated on both organisations' websites. But Weizmann, named after Israel's first president, is not the only university to have such links, nor to operate under a veil of visible security. Although some students live on campus, no one was injured in the missile attack, thanks to the time of night and strict adherence to the shelter protocol. But dozens of Israeli civilians have been killed in the attacks – even those sheltering in approved bunkers. It has left Israelis in no doubt about the missiles' destructive force. At Weizmann alone, some 45 labs were wrecked, at a potential cost of $100 million (£74 million) to replace. Within hours of the strike, a young researcher, wearing a helmet, was filmed playing the piano amid the ruins. It was a symbol of hope in a time of war. But no one is pretending that the loss to science here is anything short of tragic.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
A deadly race for food: Palestinians in Gaza risk harrowing journey day after day
Each day, Palestinians in Gaza run a deadly gantlet in hopes of getting food. Israeli troops open barrages of gunfire toward crowds crossing military zones to get to the aid, they say, and knife-wielding thieves wait to ambush those who succeed. Palestinians say lawlessness is growing as they are forced into a competition to feed their families. A lucky few manage to secure some packets of lentils, a jar of Nutella or a bag of flour. Many return empty-handed and must attempt the ordeal again the next day. 'This isn't aid. It's humiliation. It's death,' said Jamil Atili, his face shining with sweat as he made his way back last week from a food center run by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, an Israeli-backed private contractor. He had suffered a knife cut across his cheek amid the scramble for food and said a contractor guard pepper-sprayed him in the face. Still, he emerged with nothing for his 13 family members. 'I have nothing to feed my children,' he said, nearly crying. 'My heart is broken.' Israel began allowing food into Gaza this past month after cutting it off completely for 10 weeks, though United Nations officials say it is not enough to stave off starvation. Most of the supplies go to GHF, which operates four food distribution points inside Israeli military zones. A trickle of aid goes to the U.N. and humanitarian groups. Both systems are mired in chaos. Daily gunfire by Israeli troops toward crowds on the roads heading to the GHF centers has killed several hundred people and wounded hundreds more in past weeks, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. At the same time, in past weeks, hungry crowds overwhelm most of the U.N.'s truck convoys and strip away the supplies. Israeli troops have opened fire to disperse crowds waiting for trucks near military zones, witnesses say — and on Tuesday, more than 50 people were killed, according to the ministry. The Israeli military says it is investigating. 'I don't see how it can get any worse, because it is already apocalyptic. But somehow it does get worse,' said Olga Cherevko, spokesperson for the U.N. humanitarian affairs office. Israel and GHF downplay the violence Israel says it has only fired warning shots at suspects who approached its forces along the roads to the GHF food centers. Palestinian witnesses say the troops fire to prevent crowds from moving past a certain point before the centers open or because people leave the road designated by the military. They describe heavy barrages from tanks, snipers, drones and even guns mounted on cranes. Asked how its soldiers control movement, the military told The Associated Press its 'operational conduct ... is accompanied by systematic learning processes.' It said it was looking into safety measures like fences and road signs. GHF says no shootings have taken place in or near its hubs. A spokesperson, speaking on condition of anonymity under GHF rules, said incidents take place before sites open involving aid-seekers who move 'during prohibited times ... or trying to take a short cut.' They said GHF is trying to improve safety, in part by changing opening times to daylight hours. Israel intends for GHF to replace the U.N.-led aid network in Gaza, contending that Hamas diverts large amounts of aid from it. The U.N. denies the claim. Ducking under fire Thousands of people must walk miles to reach the GHF centers, three of which are in the far south outside the city of Rafah. Palestinians said the danger begins when the crowds enter the Israeli military zone encompassing Rafah. Mohammed Saqer, a father of three who risked the trip multiple times, said that when he went last week, tanks were firing over the heads of the crowds as drone announcements told everyone to move back. It's 'like it was 'Squid Game,'' Saqer said, referring to the dystopian thriller TV series in which contestants risk their lives to win a prize. Just raising your head might mean death, he said. He and others crawled forward, then left the main road. A shot rang out nearby and they ducked, he said. They found a young man on the ground, shot in the back. The others assumed he was dead, but Saqer felt his chest — it was still warm, and he found a pulse. They carried him to a point where a car could pick him up. Saqer said he stood for a moment, traumatized by the scene. Then people shouted that the site had opened. The mad dash Everyone broke into a crazed run, he said. He saw several people wounded on the ground. One man, bleeding from his abdomen, reached out his hand, pleading for help. No one stopped. 'Everyone is just running to get to the aid, to get there first,' Saqer said. Omar al-Hobi described the same scene the four times he went last week. Twice, he returned empty-handed; once, he managed to grab a pack of lentils. On the fourth day, he was determined to secure flour for his three children and pregnant wife. He said he and others inched their way forward under tank fire. He saw several people shot in the legs. One man fell bleeding to the ground, apparently dead, he said. Horrified, al-Hobi froze, unable to move, 'but I remembered I have to feed my children.' He took cover in a greenhouse, then heard the announcement that the center was open and began to run. Avoiding thieves At the center, food boxes are stacked on the ground in an area surrounded by fences and earthen berms. Thousands rush in to grab what they can in a frantic melee. You have to move fast, Saqer said. Once supplies run out, some of those who came too late rob those leaving. He swiftly tore open a box and loaded the contents into a sack — juice, chickpeas, lentils, cheese, beans, flour and cooking oil. Then he took off running. There's only one route in and out of the center. But, knowing thieves waited outside, Saqer clambered over a berm, running the risk of being fired on by Israeli troops. 'It all depends on the soldiers' mood. If they are in a bad mood … they will shoot at me. If not, they will let me be,' he said. Heba Jouda said she saw a group of men beat up a boy of 12 or 13 years old and take his food as she left one of the Rafah centers. Another time, she said, thieves attacked an older man, who hugged his sack, weeping that his children had no food. They sliced his arm with a knife and ran off with the sack. The finish line Al-Hobi said he was trampled in the scramble for boxes. He managed to grab a bag of rice, a packet of macaroni. He snagged flour — but much of it was ruined in the chaos. At his family tent outside Khan Younis, his wife, Anwaar Saleh, said she will ration it all to make it last a week or so. 'We hope he doesn't have to go back. His life is the most important thing,' she said. Al-Hobi remains shaken — both by his brushes with death and the callousness that the race for food has instilled in everyone. 'No one will show you mercy these days. Everybody fends for themselves.' ___ El Deeb reported from Beirut, Keath from Cairo. AP correspondent Samy Magdy in Cairo contributed.
The Independent
17 hours ago
- The Independent
Breast cancer survivors may have a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease, experts say
Could breast cancer survivors have a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease South Korean researchers say breast cancer survivors have an 8 percent lower risk of developing the condition compared to people without cancer, despite commonly-held concerns about cognitive decline following treatment. 'We found a slightly lower risk of [Alzheimer's] among breast cancer survivors, in line with several previous studies and a meta-analysis,' the authors wrote in a study published Friday in the journal JAMA Network Open, the open-access journal of the American Medical Association. 'This suggests that standard breast cancer treatments, including radiation therapy, may not increase and may even reduce Alzheimer's dementia risk in the short term,' Seoul National University Dr. Su-Min Jeong, who led the study, told AuntMinnie. 'Clinicians can use this evidence to reassure breast cancer patients concerned about their cognitive health.' The researchers also found no association between the risk for Alzheimer's and treatment with chemotherapeutic agents. 'An increased risk of dementia in patients with head and neck cancer treated with radiation therapy was noted. However, the risk of AD could differ, depending on the dose of radiation and site of exposure,' they explained. To reach these conclusions, they looked at the data from more than 70,000 patients who underwent breast cancer surgery between the first day of January 2010 and the last day of December 2016. The data was collected by the Korean National Health Insurance Service. Participants were grouped with healthy age-matched controls at a one-to-three ratio. The women underwent an average follow-up of 7.3 years. Among the participants, 1,229 cases of Alzheimer's were detected. Breast cancer survivors showed a slightly lower risk of developing Alzheimer's compared with cancer-free women. The trend was especially applicable to women aged 65-and-up. 'However, landmark analyses found that this lower risk did not persist beyond five years of survival. Cancer treatment with radiation therapy was associated with reduced risk of [Alzheimer's] among survivors,' they wrote. They say that further research is needed to assess the long-term risk of Alzheimer's disease in breast cancer survivors. Previous research from researchers at the University of Pittsburgh also found that hormone modulating therapy used for the treatment of breast cancer was associated with a 7 percent lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and related dementias later in life, and that some women may be at a higher risk than others. The South Korean researchers noted that cytotoxic chemotherapy has been recognized as a cause of cognitive decline called chemobrain in cancer survivors, referring to thinking and memory issues after treatment. Researchers added that their findings suggest that this treatment does not directly lead to Alzheimer's disease.
